


A Very Happy Start

by callmearenegade



Series: High School AU ( KiIar) [1]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Modern Middle Earth, Tumblr: ImaginexHobbit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-27 01:23:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7597930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/callmearenegade/pseuds/callmearenegade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>based on Imagine going to school with Kili and/or Fili and/or Ori. on Imaginexhobbit </p><p>Part of my High School AU ( let me know if you want to see more)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Very Happy Start

It had been too long. Too long since the group could all get together like this. The holiday season had passed, taking with it, the relaxed schedule Fili had during the previous semester. Now, the blonde was rarely home between his job and seemingly endless spiral towards an engineering degree. The other brother, Kili, had signed onto the lacrosse team. Between his lacrosse schedule - including meets, practices, and workouts - and his required six hours at school, it was difficult for him to find any free time. Even Ori was hard to track down. Poor Ori was buried nose deep - not making a joke about his height - in whatever ridiculous testing the school district was shoving down their throats in order to get funding. Not only swallowed by the district exams, he also had the ACT/SAT courses Dori had signed him up for.  
The boys were not alone. Skylar was drowning as well, though she always maintained her collected and prepared facade over her internal screaming. She was trying to maintain her 5.0 GPA, juggle her job and whatever nonsense her mother was up to, and lastly, but most suffocatingly, finals.

The younger three were all tormented with finals. Whoever decided that having a two week winter break before finals was not a smart or kind person. Fili chuckled internally at their suffering. With that being said, all four of them managing to get together and able to sit down and relax instead of running like chickens without heads, was nothing short of a miracle. With a minimum day and a little magic from the scheduling fairy- or sheer luck depending on your preference- had made the everyday miracle possible. Now, the group sat in the ever busy food court in the center of the mall munching on the various type of candies that had started to melt together since their purchase from the Candy Shop. Well, except for Kili because of his “ lacrosse diet” he had claimed. Ha Ha, Skylar thought as she pulled a small clump of various jelly beans from the candy bag in Ori’s hand.

To any other, the joking and casual conversation would be normal but it all felt too calm to Skylar. She kept waiting for something, anything to happen. Never, even in previous parallel states of exhaustion, were their meetings this calm. It was an impossible occurrence for the four of them, especially after such time, and for things to be so “normal”.  
Skylar didn’t need to catch the excited look between the brothers or hear the exasperated “ Oh God!” from Ori to know her waiting was over. It took less than the first two notes of the song to play over the mall’s loud speaker for the female to know what was coming.

“Boys, no.” She shook her head with an amused laugh. The boys stood from their chairs and started to move to the beat. Despite the years of athletics between them, there was little to be considered graceful or rhythmic between the two. She knew they - or at least Kili, from her personal experience - could do better rhythm wise.

“ Come on, Sky. It’s Uptown Funk!” Kili shouted as the lyrics started.

Fili lip-synced along to the lyrics and Kili pulled insistently upon the girl’s arm. Skylar laughed, throwing her head back as Ori recorded the whole ridiculous scene on his phone with a smile on his face. Oh, 21st century. When the girl doubled over in her chair with laughter, Kili went back to “dancing” with his brother to the song. A group of familiar faces had grouped around them. The audience of boys in the “ Tolkien High School” hoodies laughed. It was few and far between who didn’t know the popular Durin brothers. Even with knowing or knowing of the brothers, few were immune to the upbeat attitude and youthful exuberance they eternally displayed. The few girls - freshman or sophomores despite the older ages of the boys- rolled their eyes at the scene and looked at the dancing brothers annoyance or with eyes shining with adornment.Such looks always seemed to follow the brothers around.

The whole scene was even more amusing to Skylar. The happy, oblivious face of the brothers lit up like the Christmas trees they all missed in all their amusement. The contrasting faces of the audience around them gave the whole moment and unreal and fantastical feel. It were moments like these she wondered how she got wrapped up in the craze. Of course, she knew, but how did such moments lead to this? She wasn’t sure. It all started introverted and shy, and now, that display was such a contrast to how it had all began.

***  
Whoever said that Tolkien High School was a “ calm and unintimidating campus” was full of shit, period. The campus was spread out over half a mile with over half a dozen different and unconnected buildings with up to 30 classrooms in a single building. It was where three middle schools bottle necked and sent their students. For the 14 year olds coming from them, the large shadows of the buildings suffocated them with anxiety and an overwhelming sense of discomfort. The school’s administration- despite the blatant lies they spread at all their assemblies at the middle schools to ever gullible and hopeful eighth graders- had foreseen the exact problem. They set up a program that allowed freshmen- or “fresh-meat” as a few of the jersey wearing seniors had hissed- to come the Thursday before and meet a “senior buddy”. The Senior buddy was to lead and guide the freshmen around as well as offer them friendship and advice should they need it. Of course, most of the seniors only participated for the free Starbucks and lunch offered instead of actually caring about the freshmen.They do say the best was to get a teenager is through their stomach. Most of the seniors will abandon their freshman by lunch the first day, despite their promise. The freshmen had become aware of that fact over the years and stood in line waiting for their schedules with dread. The line was ablaze with murmurs of “no one in a jersey’ or “ please, one of the girls’ - and of course, the concerning and inappropriate mumbles of “you know what I would do to the wrestler to the left?”. If you are going to be stuck with a stranger all day in the hot southern California sun in the summer, you wanted the stranger to not be a dick - and if they had to be, hopefully they were a good looking one, or at least wore deodorant.

“ Name?” The dark haired student at the “ A-Car” table forced a fake smile. The purple baseball jersey was already darkening with sweat and he sat alone with four high stacks of papers. He was dealing with the second longest line of any of the tables - only beat by the “Lop-Ne” table- alone. She felt the boy couldn’t be blamed for his annoyance.

“ Adams, Skylar.” She spoke evenly. The boy riffled through the stack of papers on his station.

“ Last name Adams?” He sighed, squinting to read the names on the papers.

“ Obviously.” She laughed and the boy looked up at her for the first time. His eyes locked on her face as he handed her a white schedule.

“ Durin, you’re up.” He shouted to the group behind him, eyes not leaving her face.

The boy called looked up from his phone and saw the girl in front of the table. Her hair shined red in the light. Green eyes looked kindly upon him and her lips held an apprehensive smile. She looked gentle and kind. It pulled at Fili’s heart and his protective brotherly instincts.

“ Fili.” He extended a hand toward the girl as he walked around the table to meet her. “ I’m your buddy.” he granted a kind smile.

Skylar’s eyes widened slightly. “ You’re a student?” She chuckled at herself as he nodded at her statement. “ I would have mistaken you for the wrestling coach!” She pointed at the (horrid) purple and green Tolkien High School Eagles Varsity Wrestling shirt that stretched over his chest and broad shoulders protestingly.

Fili smiled and bowed his head as he raked the few pieces of blonde hair from his face. His lips were pulled into a smile that dimpled his cheeks. His cheeks and chin were covered in a thick coat of dirty blonde hair. His blue eyes shined youthfully but held a twinkle that gave the perception of knowledge beyond his years. Though he only stood a little taller than her, Fili held himself in a way that would greater suit an ancient warrior than a high school senior.

“ I get that a lot, actually.” He smiled kindly and proudly. Skylar looked at him for a lingering moment. The moment ended and the awkward silence set in. Skylar forced her smile and folded the white paper in her hands as the silence and awkward feeling laid heavily upon the pair.

Fili pursed his lips and rubbed his hands. His eyes scanned the busy campus, not knowing what to do. Yes, he had been one of the few to had gone to all the meetings about this, but they hadn’t exactly touched on how to handle these socially awkward situations. His eyes continued to scan the quad around him. The grass was overgrown, the gravel and asphalt could use replacing. Many of his other senior friends and teammates were standing around discussing with each other while there freshmen stood awkwardly by. An anger rose in his chest that he quickly swallowed down. It angered him that they were brushing off the job. Of course, he had to find the bright side. The freshmen were chatting with each other, which meant that would - hopefully- know someone to sit next to or hang out with the first awkward week.  
His eyes continued down to the girl beside him. He was not going to be like the other seniors. He was going to help this girl. He was determined. He would think of her as he would his brother and do anything and everything he could to help her. That was what he did best, the big brother role.

Skylar cracked the joints in her fingers and bit her lip between her teeth as she waited for the boy beside her. Fili looked over her and noticed the slightly awkward look on her face. She was trying so very hard to be kind and collected, but he could notice the change in her posture. His eyes scanned to the paper in her hands and suddenly all social skills seemed to return to him.

“ May I?” He pointed to the paper. “ I can’t show you around if I..” He faded as she passed the slightly sweaty and crumpled paper to him.

“ Period one through period six.” He noticed promptly, his eyes looking at her through long golden lashes. “ Not many freshmen choose the early start. Unless they have older siblings here. I know a Luke Adams. Is he your brother?” Fili smiled at the girl.

“ No. No relation. At least, I don’t think so. My father ran off when I was two so I’m not sure what he could have done before or after that.” She shook her head. “ First period was the only way they could fit my math class in.” She responded.

Fili turned back to the sheet in his hand. His eyes scanned the courses and an impressed whistle left his lips.

“ Algebra 2? As a freshmen? You must really like math.” he looked upon her with a look that could be perceived as fondness. Skylar smiled wide.

“ I took advanced math for the last three years. It was difficult for them to fit it into my schedule but it appears they managed. I do like math. It all seems to make sense to me, although, i’m not sure how much sense it will make at seven AM. “ she spoke fondly with a beaming smile.

“ I love math, maybe not as much as I love History, but I really like math. I’m going to be an electrical engineer, you know?” He exuded passion. His lips held a proud grin. The passion he exude eroded away the nerves and worry that had sat heavily upon her shoulders.

“ I don’t love math enough to become an engineer, but I am good at it. I hope to be able to keep that up.” her smile looked tense with nerves, she mused with her fingers, pulling at them. Fili could feel the worry. Skylar couldn’t bear the thought of not doing well in math, but then again, high school was an entirely different and more difficult place. She had heard the gossip about the hard-ass math teachers who have been known to fail more than 60% of their students. She felt entirely overwhelmed.

“ You have Cambodia for your teacher,” Fili spoke, tone soft and comforting. He scanned her face, noticing the furrowed brows and slight down turn of her lips. “ He’s a very good teacher. He does go off on tangents about Baseball and coaching from time to time. He spends a lot of time reminiscing about his time as a player for SDSU but he is a good teacher. Honest and very fair. “ He continued, noticing the relaxing of her shoulders and the furrow between scarlet brows. “If all else fails, I’ll tutor you.” He suggested with a shrug, as if it was the most obvious and basic thing in the world. Skylar’s head shout around, her green eyes wide as saucers as she looked upon him, mouth agape.

“ You’d really do that?” She questioned, sounding touched. Fili chuckled.

“ I promise. Swear on my beard.” He promised and stroked his cheeks.

Skylar stopped walking. She was taken aback once more. Surely he must be joking. He can not be serious about such a thing.

“ Is that a big deal? Your beard?” She chuckled and looked at him like he had told her he found the holy grail.

“ Yes.” he conceded. Skylar put her hands up and looked at him in question. He couldn’t leave her with just that.

“ My culture values beards. It’s an ancient warrior custom. It held a lot of pride and importance.” He expanded, looking proud once more.

Skylar looked upon him. She was a history buff, but she couldn’t place him . An ancient warrior race suit him but which one? He seemed fit enough to please the spartans or be a roman gladiator. Something about his pride felt Scottish - for she had never met a Scot who wasn’t prideful. The spark of ancient wisdom in his eyes spoke of something European but she wasn’t sure. Which once claimed a man who could successfully be any?

“ Which culture would that be?” She hinted whispering as if it was all some big secret.

“ The Khuzduls. You’ve probably never heard of them.”

“ I haven’t.” She sounded ashamed. “ Must have skipped that chapter in the History books.” Fili found her amusing. She sounded so sad - nearly distraught- and it made him have to bite back his laughter. The girl, so hurt over such a minor thing.

“ You didn’t. They don’t write about us. We’re just an ancient warrior race from the backwoods of New Zealand. No one from New Zealand is really talked about. At least we are not left out.” He beamed. “ It seems history has forgotten all about us.” It was there he sounded solemn. Years of the history of his people forgotten about, all their work discredited. “ Come on,” Fili spoke distractedly, “ let me show you around.”  
**  
They had gotten through the first few hours of the long day. Fili decided to take a break from all the crowds of annoying and/or lazy senior buddies and the noise of whatever pop junk they were blasting over the PA system by taking a walk. The track and football field seemed to be the best escape. It was too hot for most of the students to willingly stand on the turf that resembled more of an oven at the current moment.

“ I never realized how big these things were!” Skylar awed as her black converse dug into to the hot turf.

“ Did your middle school not have a field?” Fili scoffed as he pulled his long locks into a higher ponytail.

“ 6th graders were not allowed on it. For the next two years they were tearing it up and putting in a new one.” She explained as she knelt down and messed with the rubber cubes in the turf.

“ You’ll be spending a lot of time here. Especially..” Skylar tuned out the blonde, her focus being captured elsewhere. Her eyes locked onto a tall brunet. He was walking in a nearly crouched way that hinted he was trying be stealthy. He brought a finger to his smiling lips when he saw her and pointed to the still ranting blonde.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him. She contemplated alerting the blonde but decided he could easily handle himself. She added a “ mhm” to the pause in speech, encouraging him to continue on to the rant she had not been following.

Fili looked at her with a confused look. He noticed the odd look on the freshman’s face as she looked behind him. Blonde brows furrowed and jaw clenched.

“ Skylar, what are you-” He turned. Before he could even pivot 90 degrees, the brunet lunged and latched onto his neck and shoulders. A loud smack echoed in the air as two strong bodies collided.

“ Oh, You bastard!” Fili chastised loudly but with a broad smile as the two wrestled for a moment or two.

Skylar watched with amusement. The two moved around each other like the moon and earth. They had a familiarity in their movements that both calmed and intrigued her. They matched each other move for move.

“ I look more like mom and dad than you!” The brunet shouted with an arrogant smirk and held on even tighter to the blonde who was appearing to be gaining the advantage.

The boys pulled apart, ending with Fili landing an elbow into other’s stomach. The other boy groaned but released the blonde.

“ You damn leech. That is what you are. A damn leech the way you cling .” Fili swore. He smiled a toothy grin at the other till he appeared to remember Skylar’s presence.

“ Skylar, this is my baby brother, Kili.” He put his arms around the boy’s neck and pulled his head down till it was pressed against his chest and his hand was ruffling up the brown locks. “He’s also a freshman, but not to worry, he doesn’t act like one. He had some manners beat into him some years ago,” He chided as he let his brother go. The younger gave his brother a playful shove before extending a large hand to the small girl in front of him.

“ Kili. Kili Durin.” The younger introduced.

“ Skylar Adams.” She smiled. Her eyes roamed up the long buff arm of the boy in front of her after she took the hand. he eyes examined him like she would a painting or photo in the art gallery. In pieces and then all together.

She noticed she hadn’t gotten a good look at him before. He stood about a hand or so taller than his brother. But other than the shape of their eyes and the similar bridges of their noses, the resemblance ended there. Kili was dark where his brother was fair. His hair matched the color of the Lovina beach in Bali,- a picture of which was the background on her computer for two years straight. It fell in gentle waves just above his shoulders. His eyes matched the color of leaves in the fall or an opal stone in the light. They held a kindness and a freedom she hoped would never leave them. They looked at the world with enthusiasm and gentleness that made her feel lucky and treasured when they met her. His mouth was surrounded by dark stubble that looked like the starting of a beard. It wasn’t patchy or stringy like many of the other freshman boys she had passed during her day and it suit him. His lips looked like they always held a smile. It was contagious and pulled one from her. His body could match the statue of David. His shoulders were wide and strong and he held a lean muscle that made him feel strong and lithe at the same time. She had no doubt the boy could pick her up with little effort. The boy was interesting. He caught her attention.  
Kili looked at Skylar for a long moment, his breath freezing in his lungs for a few seconds. She was little, about collar height on him but he didn’t doubt her fire. He couldn’t downsize her presence to feel so small. Her fiery hair shined with an angelic glow that was gifted to her by the sun above. Jade eyes looked softly and inquisitively at him. Her cupid’s bow lips must have been crafted by Artemis herself in their perfection. Currently, they held the remnants of an amused smile. Despite her beauty, there was something intelligent in the sparkle in her eyes and the quirk of her brow that demanded she not be taken for granted. He wouldn’t doubt her mind was a force to be reckoned with. She was someone he could find in a crowd, someone he would seek out even. She sent a wave of warmth through him that made him want to know her, like he wouldn’t be able to be happy if he didn’t. He had to know her. Even if it was just enough to politely say hello in the hallway.

“ Ey,” Fili hinted, “ Where is your senior?” He asked toward his brother.

“ I got Harris, brother. Surely you would not expect him to actually do his job?” Kili was smug. Fili rolled his eyes and clapped a hand on Kili’s shoulder.

“ I guess I should keep an eye on you too. Keep you out of trouble.”He sighed, but the smile seemed to amused for it to be serious.

“ I am offended. See, Skylar? He think’s I’m a trouble maker. Do I look like a troublemaker to you?” He asked, doing a terrible impression of a bad boy smoking a cigarette.

“ I don’t know, Kili. You look pretty terrible to me.” She agreed. “ You should stick around and prove me otherwise.” And Kili resembled a puppy who had just be promised a walk.  
***  
“ I will never do wrestling!” Kili shouted as the trio walked out the back of the school toward the senior parking lot.

“ Come on Kili. You look like you would be amazing at it!” Skylar gushed as she walked with the boy, Fili walking in front with his car key in hand.

“ No!”

“ I’d never allow it.” Fili shouted over his shoulder.

“ Why!?” She stomped her foot.

“ It’s not good for the body. Having to gain or lose weight so fast is not healthy.” Fili explained, sounding nauseous at the thought.

“ And you’d have to cut your hair.” Skylar sounded sad at the thought.

“ Not exactly, Fili doesn’t.”

“ You don’t?” Fili chuckled and picked up the pace as cars started to pull out of the parking lot.

“ No. He puts braids in his hair. Like the ones our ancient ancestors used to wear into battle. It’s a sight.” Kili awed, poking his brother in the back as she spoke.

“ I must see that.” Skylar smiled.

“ You are welcome to come watch me at any meets this year. You can carpool with us.” Fili spoke genuinely as he looked over his shoulder at her and unlocked his car.

“ You need a ride? We’ll give you a lift!” Fili encouraged. Kili’s head sprung up over the passenger side of the car and gave her a pleading look.

“ I wouldn’t want to be a problem.” Skylar bowed her head and toed the asphalt below her.

“ You wouldn’t be. Come on.” Fili tilted his head toward the car and opened the door for her.

“Fili! We should go get ice cream. It’s hot!” Kili shouted and bounced up and down.

“ Skylar, you want to go?” Fili smiled.

“ I didn’t bring my wallet.” Nope, it was on the kitchen table at home.

“ My treat.” Fili promised.

“ No no!” Skylar shouted. “ I can’t let you-”

“ No worries. Come on.” Fili silenced.

“ I’ll pay you back.” She promised as she sat in the back of the car.

Fili shook his head but turned the key and drove away anyway.  
***  
Ice Cream was the best idea, she had decided. The whole car ride to get here had been entertaining as opposed to awkward as she was expecting. Kili had turned around and discussed music with her the whole ride. Fili had jumped in a few times, trying to argue with them about Journey versus KISS. By the time they had reached the little family owned ice cream shop on the edge of town - that served the best in-store made ice cream in the whole state- She felt like she was part of their family.

They sat at the little booth by the door and were discussing World War 1 while eating ice cream.

“ I don’t think that the war could have been avoided, that is all i’m saying!” Fili defended as he leaned back against the plush corner of the booth.

“ If the Archduke hadn’t stopped to turn around or ask for directions - which I will defend with my dying breath, not just because it would be a funny twist- the war could have been avoided.” Skylar ended before putting a bite of mint chip ice cream with gummy bears into her mouth.

“ Can I try?” Kili asked, spoon pointing towards her bowl. Skylar smiled.

“ Only if I can try yours.” She decided as they swapped bowls around.

“ Yeah, I should warn you. Our family will grab food off your plate. It’s how it has always been. It started with our mother.” Fili warned as he reached over for a spoonful from Skylar’s bowl.

“ Our Uncle hates it. He will smack your hand away.”

“ You don’t get between that man and his food.”

“ If you value your life,” She reached across the table to grab some of Fili’s, “ You won’t get between me and pizza or me and Mexican food.Or chocolate. but only sometimes. You’ll know them when they appear.” 

She winced when the ice cream hit her mouth. “ Why do that to perfectly good Reese’s, Fili?” She said brokenly. The brother’s laughed.

“ I think this is going to be a good year. Do you have that feeling?” Kili spoke, looking at the other teens.

“ yeah, actually.” The other two nodded. Kili dug into his ice cream for a big spoon full before rising it into the air.

“ Cheers, to a good year!” he announced. The other two followed his action till all three banged pink plastic spoons together. And so it felt.  
___  
“ Come on, Skylar!” Kili shouted. Skylar sighed but nodded and stood in high heels to walk to join the two brothers.

“ You recording, Ori?” She smiled at the younger teen. He nodded and shot her a thumbs up.

Skylar walked up to Kili till he was face to face with her. She placed her long arms around his neck and moved her body in the correct rhythm till he matched her.

“ Come on dance, jump on it, if you sexy than flaunt it.” He mouth the lyrics as they danced.

“ If you freaky then own it.” She continued.

“ I know you are.” Kili hinted saucily, low in her ear. Skylar broke out laughing. Her body resting its weight against the boy in front of her as her lungs fought for air.

“ What did he say!?” Fili laughed, watching the scene. Skylar’s face was as red as her hair as she tried in vain to speak more than a word before the laughter took hold of her again.

Her laughter must have been contagious, as the other three joined in with her. As the song ended and the three sat back down, Skylar smiled at the group around her. She wouldn’t trade anything for her group of idiots. Her’s. Her family, her best friends. Better than all the others.

“ A toast to the Fantastic Four!” She cheered, raising her soda.

“ Shitty movies, but a great group of friends!” Kili added.

“ With the same guy/girl ratio.”

“ And with Skylar and Kili going to end up married.”

“ Except none of us have any cool powers.”

“ We have the power of friendship.”

“ If you say so, Orlando.”

“ Fuck all of you, I want out of the group.”

“ Too bad. You’re a lifer. In it for life!”


End file.
